Let The Spirit Be Your Pacer
07/08/23 00:33
In our daily running practice, we soon realize that learning how to pace ourselves makes the whole difference in how far we can go.
When I started to run, I was so full of self-doubt and Ego, that my pacing strategy consisted in running as fast as possible.
I wanted to make a point: that I was capable of being fast.
Nowadays, I need to prove nothing. I know that I can be fast, but even more important:
In running slow, I have found the “sweet spot” that allows me to run longer distances, enjoying the road and unveiling a wonderful opportunity to connect with God.
The running community is a gigantic ecosystem where comparison –as in other sports– is common.
Comparison can be a source of motivation. It makes you want to push harder and reach your highest potential, but it can also make you feel discouraged when your progress doesn’t match that of other people.
And moreover, if you only compare yourself with someone else, this will stop you from finding out what works best for you.
Therefore, I really encourage you to put comparisons aside. Forget about the numbers or what other people are doing.
Whenever you put your shoes on and go for a run, instead of letting the Mind pace you, let the Spirit be your pacer.
Who could know you better? And who could be more precise in helping you unveil your strengths and weaknesses?
Your Mind, as well-informed as it can be, won’t be able to take you as far. Because the Mind will eventually trick you with assumptions that only serve the interests of the Ego –being faster or “better” than someone else–, but the Spirit will strengthen you physically and emotionally in every step.
Once you adopt a conscious running practice, you will soon realize that training goes far beyond pace, the accumulated mileage or how many hours per week you’re on the road.
Running with the Spirit requires only one thing from you: listening to your body and emotional response.
If you run with music, give yourself a few days to run without it.
I understand that music can be energizing, but it can make you run faster than needed when the beats-per-minute (BPM) are too high.
Besides, when distracted by music –particularly that with lyrics– it is more difficult to be conscious about your technique. This can prevent you from making positive adjustments.
Going further:
That said, imagine that you’re going for a run with me right now. This is what I would like you to pay attention to:
A song is harmonious because it has a consistent rhythm and tune. When running, our movements should match our breathing –the music– to achieve the same harmony.
Your pace will change depending on the terrain (uphills/downhills, traffic lights, obstacles…), but if you pay attention to how your breathing sounds, you will realize if you are running in harmony.
If it gets out of control when running at your “easy” to “moderate” pace, there is a chance for improvement.
Doing breathing exercises, like deep inhalations every four steps and long exhalations every four steps, will help you be more conscious about how you’re using oxygen (and remember: oxygen is Life).
Notice how the sound of your steps resemble a metronome. That is because pace (movement) is also music. So, when we run, we are creating music.
There is no need for this metronome to operate at higher speeds all the time. Speed is something you shouldn’t be worried about, it will naturally happen with time and patience.
A consistent running practice can only be achieved when it feels natural, and so, finding your pace is as important as it is for a musician to find the most suitable instrument for their skills and passions.
Now, how consistent is your pace? If it tends to decrease with mileage –like a car that is running out of fuel when coming back to the garage– then you are probably running too fast from the beginning.
I encourage you to:
Moreover, I have a task for you: try to run so easy that, when completing your training, you feel like you can go for more.
Then you will know that you are indeed building endurance.
Not only your body response is important, but also your emotional response. Running is extremely emotional, specially if you like long-distance events.
Let’s check in with ourselves every couple of miles to make sure that we are “on track”. Here are some introspective statements I find really helpful (remember to be completely honest with yourself, nobody else matters here):
By using these self-reflective statements, you’ll be more aware of your emotions and thoughts. The last question is also interesting to remind yourself why are you running.
The right reason can handle everything else, but if you find that your why feels insufficient, go deeper within yourself and see how you can adjust it.
It’s like having a heart-to-heart with yourself, and this transparency is an open door for the Spirit to operate.
Once you are in a state of awareness regarding your body and emotions, the next step is to ask for guidance.
I recommend writing down a mantra or prayer, as you prefer to call it, and repeating it during your runs.
This is a personal process and depends on your beliefs. However, here I share an example of a prayer I like to repeat when I’m running:
When I notice that I’m unnecessarily increasing my pace, I stick to this mantra and immediately feel grounded again.
The keyword is attention. Running is a powerful tool to educate your attention, find answers and reach your highest potential, both physically, emotionally and spiritually.
I hope that you find this information useful to open your Mind and Heart to a different perspective on running, and turn this into a daily altar for your spiritual growth.
You might be surprised by how far you can go when you allow the Spirit to pace you, feeling half tired. Or not tired at all.
When I started to run, I was so full of self-doubt and Ego, that my pacing strategy consisted in running as fast as possible.
I wanted to make a point: that I was capable of being fast.
Nowadays, I need to prove nothing. I know that I can be fast, but even more important:
I rather choose to be slow.
In running slow, I have found the “sweet spot” that allows me to run longer distances, enjoying the road and unveiling a wonderful opportunity to connect with God.
The Mind Plays Mind Games
The running community is a gigantic ecosystem where comparison –as in other sports– is common.
Comparison can be a source of motivation. It makes you want to push harder and reach your highest potential, but it can also make you feel discouraged when your progress doesn’t match that of other people.
And moreover, if you only compare yourself with someone else, this will stop you from finding out what works best for you.
Therefore, I really encourage you to put comparisons aside. Forget about the numbers or what other people are doing.
Whenever you put your shoes on and go for a run, instead of letting the Mind pace you, let the Spirit be your pacer.
Who could know you better? And who could be more precise in helping you unveil your strengths and weaknesses?
Your Mind, as well-informed as it can be, won’t be able to take you as far. Because the Mind will eventually trick you with assumptions that only serve the interests of the Ego –being faster or “better” than someone else–, but the Spirit will strengthen you physically and emotionally in every step.

Once you adopt a conscious running practice, you will soon realize that training goes far beyond pace, the accumulated mileage or how many hours per week you’re on the road.
Training is a triangular process: you must strengthen your Spirit, so it can renew your Mind. And once these two aspects are in balance, your Body will be stronger. Because a healthy Spirit and Mind can take an average body really far, but a healthy body, without a strong Spirit and clear Mind, can do nothing.
Learning to listen in silence
Running with the Spirit requires only one thing from you: listening to your body and emotional response.
If you run with music, give yourself a few days to run without it.
I understand that music can be energizing, but it can make you run faster than needed when the beats-per-minute (BPM) are too high.
Besides, when distracted by music –particularly that with lyrics– it is more difficult to be conscious about your technique. This can prevent you from making positive adjustments.
Going further:
With your headphones on, you won’t be able to listen to your breathing, which is just as important as hearing the engine of the car you are driving.
That said, imagine that you’re going for a run with me right now. This is what I would like you to pay attention to:
1. Does your breathing sound like music?
A song is harmonious because it has a consistent rhythm and tune. When running, our movements should match our breathing –the music– to achieve the same harmony.
Your pace will change depending on the terrain (uphills/downhills, traffic lights, obstacles…), but if you pay attention to how your breathing sounds, you will realize if you are running in harmony.
If it gets out of control when running at your “easy” to “moderate” pace, there is a chance for improvement.
Doing breathing exercises, like deep inhalations every four steps and long exhalations every four steps, will help you be more conscious about how you’re using oxygen (and remember: oxygen is Life).
2. Is your pace consistent?
Notice how the sound of your steps resemble a metronome. That is because pace (movement) is also music. So, when we run, we are creating music.
There is no need for this metronome to operate at higher speeds all the time. Speed is something you shouldn’t be worried about, it will naturally happen with time and patience.
A consistent running practice can only be achieved when it feels natural, and so, finding your pace is as important as it is for a musician to find the most suitable instrument for their skills and passions.
Now, how consistent is your pace? If it tends to decrease with mileage –like a car that is running out of fuel when coming back to the garage– then you are probably running too fast from the beginning.
I encourage you to:
Slow down, until running feels constructive instead of destructive. Your Body is a temple to be preserved, and running must serve as an endurance routine for this temple rather than a debilitating practice.
Moreover, I have a task for you: try to run so easy that, when completing your training, you feel like you can go for more.
Then you will know that you are indeed building endurance.
3. Are your thoughts positive?
Not only your body response is important, but also your emotional response. Running is extremely emotional, specially if you like long-distance events.
Let’s check in with ourselves every couple of miles to make sure that we are “on track”. Here are some introspective statements I find really helpful (remember to be completely honest with yourself, nobody else matters here):
- “Right now, I’m feeling…”.
- “I could keep this pace for another (…) miles/hours”.
- “Running makes me feel…”.
- “I’m running because…”.
By using these self-reflective statements, you’ll be more aware of your emotions and thoughts. The last question is also interesting to remind yourself why are you running.
The right reason can handle everything else, but if you find that your why feels insufficient, go deeper within yourself and see how you can adjust it.
It’s like having a heart-to-heart with yourself, and this transparency is an open door for the Spirit to operate.
Allowing the Spirit to pace you
Once you are in a state of awareness regarding your body and emotions, the next step is to ask for guidance.
I recommend writing down a mantra or prayer, as you prefer to call it, and repeating it during your runs.
This is a personal process and depends on your beliefs. However, here I share an example of a prayer I like to repeat when I’m running:
“Let my thoughts be your thoughts. Let my words be your words. Let my hands be your hands”.
When I notice that I’m unnecessarily increasing my pace, I stick to this mantra and immediately feel grounded again.
The keyword is attention. Running is a powerful tool to educate your attention, find answers and reach your highest potential, both physically, emotionally and spiritually.
I hope that you find this information useful to open your Mind and Heart to a different perspective on running, and turn this into a daily altar for your spiritual growth.
You might be surprised by how far you can go when you allow the Spirit to pace you, feeling half tired. Or not tired at all.
Hi, I'm Rita
Here I write about the joy of running, a practice that has given me so much and taken so little in return.
I want to share with you how we can use running as a Spiritual practice, a daily altar to strengthen our relationship with God, ourselves, and those we love.
If interested, here you can find my running gear.